Scope for Combo Hunting/Long Range Precision Shooting

H

hopeisnotastrategy

New member
I am looking to purchase a new scope and I hope to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

My budget is roughly $1500 and I want the most scope for the money that will serve my purpose.

I want the scope to go on my primary hunting rifle which is a .270 which I use for deer/elk hunted primarily in Texas and Colorado where my average shots are between 100 and 300 yards.

I also want the scope to allow me to start training for long range precision shooting.

Because of the later requirement, I want it to be a mil-dot style reticle and have mil-based turrets.

I am looking at the Leupold Mark 4 ER/T 4.5-14x50 with the tactical milling reticle and M5 knobs, but I want recommendations.

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Something in a Vortex, in that price range, has alot of possibilities. Plus they have Super CS, and Lifetime Warranty.
 
I'm not sure if you can get into a Nightforce at that price but you're getting close. If you are willing to drop that kind of change on glassso what if it takes another couple of hundred bucks to get one spend it it is totally worth it.
 
Trijicon Accupoint?

I went to Cabela's today to check out glass and the sales guy recommended I look at the Trijicon Accupoint. I tested the 5-20x50mm and it was really sweet. The reticle is awesome.

I compared it side by side to Swarovski Z5, Leupold M4, Zeiss Conquest and Nightforce NXS. Granted it was just in the store looking at stuffed animals on the opposite wall but the Accupoint had a clearer picture and brought my eye on target faster than the Leupold or the Conquest. The glass on the Z5 was, as to be expected, amazing, but the reticle is not as good and the Z5 is almost $600 more. The Nightforce was the only scope that I felt could be considered truly superior but it has some design quirks. For example, when you adjust the magnification it rotates the entire eye piece which, in addition to being odd, prohibits the use of flip lens caps. On top of that, it is $700 more.

Does anyone have any feedback on the Trijicon Accupoint? Has anyone compared these in the field under more real-world conditions?

Thanks in advance.
 
I have been contemplating on getting the Zeiss Conquest in 6.5-20x50 with #43 reticle for my new build. Check out their website and see if it is what you are looking for. Surprisingly it is within your price range. As far as quality glass, your not going to do much better.
 
I have Sightron SIII's (better optical clarity than NF at higher magnification... IMO) a US Optics SN-3, and various Leupolds including an older Vari-X III LR 4.5x15x50. That scope has taken many deer and helped me shoot a 194/200 in 1000 yard F Class competition. I would not hesitate to buy the Mark 4 version if I were in the market.
 
Something in a Vortex, in that price range, has alot of possibilities. Plus they have Super CS, and Lifetime Warranty.
Click to expand...

x2. I'm using a Vortex Viper PST 4-16x FFP mil/mil. Zero stop on the elevation turret.
 
I do not represent myself as an expert on the topic,but for a long time the standard US Army Sniper scope was a Leupolld 3.5-10 30 mm tube Mil-Dot.Brother has that scope on his AR-!0.

I have the 4.5-14 version on my Win 70 Laredo.MilDot,30mm,side p-lax,etc.

I had Kenton Industries make a set of knobs.Within reason,altitude,etc,I just twist a range.

I am not saying there are no better scopes.These have worked real well for us.

I would not do it any different,myself.

Laser rangefinders are great.

But,a Mil-dot is in the scope as you look at your target.If you are skilled with a Mil-Dot,the Mil-Dot,and the skill,make the laser less necessary.True,at very long ranges,a 25 yd error means a miss,but in the 300,400,etc zone,where a reasonable trajectory forgives a little ranging error,why fumble with more equiptment?

Really,truly,if you know how to use a Mil-Dot,300,even pushing 400 yd rangefinding for gamehunting,as the op mentioned,its the laser you don't need.

OP,I have great respect for the 270 as a hunting round.At any reasonable hunting range,its a good cartridge...Actually,the Cartridge itself is not an issue.

What you may eventually run into as a limitation,the standard .270 twist is tailored to bullets that are efficient at reasonable hunting ranges.
They are not typically twisted for the long,heavy,high ballistic coefficient bullets .And,the way this works out,as there are few rifles that can stabilize such .277 bullets,bullet mfgrs do not have a market to offer long range bullets .

So,depending upon what you consider "long range",I suggest you bias your scope selection toward the hunting spectrum,a 3.5-10 is plenty.I believe I might go toward 40 or 42 mm,rather than 50.

I am not saying the 1000 yd-ish stuff cannot be done with a .270,but a 6.5,or 7mm,or 30 will give you a much better selection of long range bullets

Just my opinion.
 
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At that price point, look at a Vortex and Bushnell Elite.
http://www.sportoptics.com/vortex-rifle-scopes.aspx
I personally think you get more features for less money with these over a Leupold.
US Optics and Nightforce are a step up, if you can find one at that price.
You also need to decide if you want First or Second Focal Plane. If you know your range or have a range finder, Second Focal Plane is fine.
May I also suggest Seekins Precision scope rings.
 
Nightforce is a great scope if you have $$$$$$..The one i see coming on real strong in F-Class open and FTR class now is Sightron. I have a 8-32 x50 on order now. Tracking is second to none and the glass is very crisp and clear. I also go with other post,No need for a mil dot scope.
 
The Swaro will serve you better in very low light conditions and I would get the 4A reticle as the BR reticles can get lost in low light and lets face it, thats when what you want to shoot comes out.:eek:
 
If the Trijicon Accupoint is something that fits the bill by all means buy it. I've had an interest in it myself and the reviews I've found have all been positive. Not to mention the company itself has been making solid products for a long time. Glass a lot of the time is more important than the rifle but like the rifle the shooter has to like the fit or they can't get the most out of their setup. I'm sure the quality is there and if it saves you some change in the process all the better, now you can buy more goodies. Take all of our suggestions for what it cost you and buy the scope that you find fits you the best regardless of price or opinion. Every "hunting" rifle I own is topped with Simmons scopes. Are there better? Could I afford better? Sure, but They offer what I need and like at an attractive price and they have yet to disappoint so I keep buying them even though I get the occasional "junk" comment. It's your money and in the end it's about you so buy accordingly.
 
I have a Bushnell Elite 6500T 4.5-30x50 and it has been a great scope holds zero, tracks well and even at 30x it's still pretty clear. The only thing I don't like about it is the blacked out markings on it makes it hard to see what settings it's on.
 
Check it out

Check out the Bushnell Elite 6500. I don't own one but the specs are awesome.

2.5-16 magnification [this is what I find the most interesting] or 4.5-30

30 mm tube

lots of optional feature

Priced under $900
 
I think that's a bit of a tall order, but as long as you're willing to compromise...

I don't hunt, but if you need quick target acquisition at a 100 yard shot, you're probably going to want no more than 4x on the low end...

On the other hand, for long range (if mirage allows) more magnification is always better. I prefer 20-24x...yeah, my son shoots his 6.5 Grendel at 600 with his 3.5-10 Vortex Viper, but I don't feel it's optimal. Like I said, compromise. He can bang steel with it, but if you were trying to shoot groups, not enough magnification.

I'd go with a 4-16 or something in that range. This would be my choice, mil-mil, FFP:

http://swfa.com/Vortex-4-16x50-Viper-PST-30mm-Rifle-Scope-P44561.aspx
 
I'll fling back,one more time,then let it go.

I have a very light 257 Ackley Imp,with a 1 in 10 bblI can push 3100 with a 115 gr Ballistic tip.The BC is about .440,+-.

Generally speaking,the .270 is in the same BC league.I do not think you will find many .500+ or .600 + BC bullets for a .270.

IMO,that makes no difference at reasonable hunting ranges.For my concept of "long range" it does make a difference.

Have fun,do it your way,but,IMO,I would focus a .270 on what a .270 is excellent for.I would bias toward a hunting rifle with a good hunting scope that had some long range talent.I do not know the 3-9 Trijicon,but the ACOG s are good glass.

I also know really good optics of modest power are better than mediocre optics of high power.

IMO,for most purposes,a .270 does not need more than 10 x in quality glass.I think larger than,say a 3.5 to 10 by 40 mm or so would be out of balance on a .270 to hunt with.

Two other brands to look at(I have no experience with)Valdada and Minox.
 
+3 on the Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP. Wonderful scope, and you'll come in $600 under your budget limit. I got this one for $899 from an outfit called opticsbestbuy.com; they were out of stock everywhere else. Wasn't a bad move at all!

2012-01-31%252012.46.51.jpg


I was gunning for the 6-24, but in hind sight, I like the 4-16 better for the lower power range; that'll be great for deer hunting at lower ranges (I hunted inside of 150 yards last year with a fixed 10 power..yikes! That sucked.). The 16 power hasn't stopped me from putting down 1.25" groups at 300 yards. The camera optics didn't know how to handle looking through a scope so there's some blooming, but here's an iPhone photo from the other day looking at my 200 yard target at 16x.

IMAGE_BD2F45C9-05A3-4393-9DD0-38C2DAEAC3E5.JPG


In the real world, the view is crystal; I can see my .308 hits on paper at 300 yards. Adjustment; I'm mounted on a EGW 20moa rail. With a 200 yard zero, I've still got 18mil of vertical adjustment left before I hit the internal hard stop. That'll come in handy if I manage to make it to Fort Knox for a 1000 yard attempt.
 
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